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"Pop Goes the World"
Single by Men Without Hats
from the album Pop Goes the World
B-side	"The End (Of the World)"
Released	October 1987
Length	3:43
Label	Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Ivan Doroschuk
Producer(s)	Men Without Hats, Zeus B. Held
Men Without Hats singles chronology
"Nationale 7" (1985) "Pop Goes the World" (1987) "Moonbeam" (1987)

"Pop Goes the World" is a song by Canadian new wave and synthpop band Men Without Hats. It was released in October 1987 as the lead single from their third studio album Pop Goes the World. The song reached No. 1 in Austria, No. 2 in Canada, and No. 3 in South Africa. It was originally written as an electronic instrumental. The song has been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Content

Ivan Doroschuk wrote the song as a light-hearted instrumental tune like "Popcorn" and tagged it at the end of a 10-12 track demo he sent his producer. The producer urged him to discard the other songs, put lyrics to the instrumental, and write 10-12 more songs in the same vein as the instrumental. The instrumental became "Pop Goes the World", and the other new songs turned into the rest of the album.

The song tells the story of "Johnny" and "Jenny", the two members of a musical group called "the Human Race" on their quest for fame in the industry. However, at one point the lyrics note that they come to the realization that they could make "more money on a movie screen". The members' instruments of choice vary throughout the song, though Johnny is primarily a guitarist and Jenny is a bassist.

Music video

The music video for the song features lead singer Ivan Doroschuk who tells the story of "Johnny," played by guitarist Stefan Doroschuk (impersonating Elvis Presley), and "Jenny", portrayed by an unknown actress playing a left-handed Höfner 500/1 bass. The two are seen dancing around a bubble-filled stage along with numerous other characters including a keyboard-playing baby and Bonhomme Carnaval (with a different hat). The word "Pop!", in writing reminiscent of a comic book, appears periodically on-screen in time with popping noises that punctuate the song. The video was released in 1988 in the CD Video format.

Charts

Certifications

2012 version

The song was re-recorded and released as a digital single in 2012.

In popular culture

The song was featured in the 1987 film Date with an Angel, which starred Phoebe Cates, Emmanuelle Béart and Michael E. Knight. The song was also featured very briefly in the 1991 film Scanners II: The New Order.

The song was used by Tide in TV advertisements for their "Pods" in 2012. The opening riff of the song was also utilized in the promotional advertising for the American television series Young Sheldon in the summer of 2017.

Football teams in several countries use versions of the song as chants:

• In Argentina, Paraguay, and Ecuador, it is used by several teams and is arguably the most popular tune sung by fans.
• In Japan, it is used by the national team and Yokohama F. Marinos.
• In Brazil, it is used by Sport Club Internacional.
• In Hungary, fans of Diósgyőr use the song with the lyrics: "Amíg élek én, nem érdekel más, csak a Diósgyőr, csak a Diósgyőr, csak a Diósgyőr!" ("As long as I live, I don't care about anything but Diósgyőr, only Diósgyőr, only Diósgyőr!").
• In Israel, fans of Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem sing the song with the lyrics: "הפועל עולה" ("Hapoel goes up"). Also in Israel, fans of Hapoel Jerusalem sing the song with the lyrics "סמי בכר מת" ("Sami Bachar is Dead") whenever the referee's call seems to be erronous, after basketball referee Sami Bachar's management of the 2006–07 Israeli Basketball Super League final, which, according to Hapoel, cost them the championship.

Notes

1. Although one source identifies the actress as Louise Court, others indicate that this appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Court had previously appeared in the band's videos for "I Like" and "Safety Dance".

References

1. Dunlevy, T'Cha (September 1, 2020). "Men Without Hats' Safety Dance, Pop Goes the World enter hall of fame". Sudbury Star. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020.
2. "Behind The Vinyl: "Pop Goes the World" with Ivan Doroschuk from Men Without Hats". YouTube. July 18, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
3. Wuench, Kevin (January 15, 2015). "Can you name the THIRD biggest hit for Men Without Hats? Here it is". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
4. ^ Berry, Rohan (December 3, 2011). "The Mystery of the Manic Safety Dancer". Apercu.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 198. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
6. "Men Without Hats – Pop Goes the World" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0919." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
8. "Men Without Hats – Pop Goes the World". Top 40 Singles.
9. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)".
10. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
11. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. February 13, 1988. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
12. "Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. December 26, 1987. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
13. "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. December 5, 1987. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
14. "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
15. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1988" (in German). Retrieved March 12, 2022.
16. "Top 100 Singles of '88". RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9.
17. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1988". rock.co.za. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
18. "Canadian single certifications – Men Without Hats – Pop Goes the World". Music Canada. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
19. Olé (January 3, 2018). "Un clásico de los 80". www.ole.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved April 6, 2022.
20. "Yokohama F. Marinos saposon" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 7, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
21. רועי כהן, אוהדי י-ם קיללו, חומסקי: "אתם עושים נזק", 10 במרץ 2019, ספורט 5

• Men Without Hats songs
• 1987 singles
• 1987 songs
• Mercury Records singles
• Number-one singles in Austria